I’ve always loved Tiffany & Co. I knew at an early age that this jeweller was special. I remember watching Jeannie Beker on Fashion Television and being amazed at the gorgeous, organic Bone Cuff that she’d wear each episode. I will never forget the first time I visited the iconic Tiffany & Co. store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan – the excitement and thrill of standing in the same place that Audrey Hepburn did in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The day I finally acquired my first piece of Tiffany jewelry, I floated out of the store on Cloud Nine…

Tiffany & Co. has a storied history and has shaped and influenced jewelry making in North America over the last 178 years. 178 years!!! Founded in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany, the original store operating under the name Tiffany, Young and Ellis, sold mainly stationary and “fancy goods”. When Mr. Tiffany acquired full control of the store, he shortened the name to Tiffany & Company and changed its focus to jewelry.

Charles Lewis Tiffany (left). Pic courtesy of www.tiffany.com

Tiffany & Co. is notable for many reasons, mainly for setting benchmark standards for jewelry-making worldwide. It was the first American company to institute the 925/1000 sterling silver standard and interestingly enough, the first company to publish a mail-order catalogue (the Blue Book) in the United States. In 1886, Mr. Tiffany introduced the Tiffany setting diamond engagement ring – a diamond solitaire set in a six-prong setting. This setting is my absolute favourite and the very same style that my husband got for me.

Side note: Ryan and I never went engagement ring shopping together. He just happened to pick my dream ring!

Thanks Ryan! I love you to the end of the Earth.

When Holt Renfrew closed down in Ottawa, it took the successful Tiffany & Co. boutique with it. A collective cry of sadness could be heard across our city. While Tiffany offers online shopping, many Ottawa customers missed the excellent one-on-one service provided by the small boutique, along with seeing firsthand the unique designs by noted designers and artists such as Jean Schlumberger, Elsa Peretti, Paloma Picasso, and Frank Gehry. I knew I’d miss their collection of excellent quality yellow gold jewelry – something I notice is now hard to find at your run of the mill jewelry store.

Imagine my delight when the Rideau Centre announced that this New York legend would be opening a 3000 sq. ft. store in the Rideau Centre! Located beside heavyweights such as Nordstrom, Harry Rosen and Birks, their new location is a sparkling jewel of a store. White marble floors, large windows, and decorated with black and white prints of the Big Apple, the store is beautiful, bright, pristine and inviting. Friendly sales associates greet you at the store’s Art Deco entrance, followed by heart-stopping high-end jewelry featured in separate little salons.

There is something for everyone at Ottawa’s new Tiffany & Co. location, from a million-dollar, fancy yellow diamond necklace, to organic mixed media pieces created by Tiffany’s first female design director, Francesca Amfitheatrof.

I was lucky enough to be able to meet with Jean-Christophe Requero, Tiffany & Co.’s Group Director for the Ottawa and Quebec Regions. Mr. Requero, a warm and friendly (and extremely dapper) personality, provided me with some interesting information on Rideau Centre’s newest store.

Mr. Requero informed me that while the Holt Renfrew location was a success, Tiffany & Co. wanted to focus on offering the Ottawa market the best customer service possible and that included offering a much larger selection than the Holt Renfrew boutique. The company took its time looking for the perfect location – a mix of proper square footage, spacious layout and luxurious presentation. They chose the store location carefully, across from the new Nordstrom and Kate Spade stores, and they are experiencing high foot traffic as a result…something I feel it would receive no matter where it was located in the mall.

Services provided by the store other than the warm hospitality are personal shopping services, a private viewing room and beverages offered while you shop. The staff will even celebrate your purchase of an engagement ring by popping a bottle of champagne for you.

Victoria, a warm and friendly sales associate extremely knowledgeable with each collection, was kind enough to give me a tour of the store and gave me a viewing of large pink diamond rings, the gorgeous million-dollar fancy yellow diamond necklace, and intricate pieces like the Bird on a Rock Citrine by Jean Schlumberger.

I highly recommend a visit to the store! Take your time ogling the perfect diamonds, intricate gold, silver and platinum pieces, ooh and ahh over their patented RUBEDO jewelry and treat yourself to something nice! If you still need convincing, my pictures below should change your mind.